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In this episode, we perceive how the changing seasons affect inner life, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 224, penned by Paalai Paadiya Perunkadunko. Set in the drylands of ‘Paalai’, the verse speaks in the voice of the lady to her confidante, on being informed about the man’s parting away on a mission.
அன்பினர், மன்னும் பெரியர்; அதன்தலை,
”பின்பனி அமையம் வரும்” என, முன்பனிக்
கொழுந்து முந்துறீஇக் குரவு அரும்பினவே;
”புணர்ந்தீர் புணர்மினோ” என்ன, இணர்மிசைச்
செங் கண் இருங் குயில் எதிர் குரல் பயிற்றும்
இன்ப வேனிலும் வந்தன்று; நம்வயின்
”பிரியலம்” என்று, தெளித்தோர் தேஎத்து,
இனி எவன் மொழிகோ, யானே-கயன் அறக்
கண் அழிந்து உலறிய பல் மர நெடு நெறி
வில் மூசு கவலை விலங்கிய
வெம் முனை அருஞ் சுரம் முன்னியோர்க்கே?
The verse opens with the words ‘அன்பினர், மன்னும் பெரியர்’ meaning ‘a caring and a truly great person’, making us wonder who that virtuous person might be. We then glimpse at ‘குரவு’ or ‘asian tarenna’ flowers. The words ‘புணர்ந்தீர் புணர்மினோ’ echoes like a love anthem, asking ‘those in love to come together’. The writer of this love anthem turns out to be the ‘செங் கண் இருங் குயில்’ or ‘red-eyed black koel’ also called as the ‘cuckoo’. In the phrase ‘இனி எவன் மொழிகோ’, there’s a lot of dejection, for it means ‘what am I to say?’ ‘வில் மூசு’ renders a fast-cut shot of ‘robbers wielding arrows’. With that frightening scene in the ‘வெம் முனை அருஞ் சுரம்’ meaning ‘hot and harsh drylands’, the poem ends. Let’s walk on with determination to know more!
The man and lady had been in a happy married life when the man decides to part away from the lady on a mission. He seeks the help of the confidante to convey this message to the lady. On hearing from the confidante that the man has parted away, the lady says, “He is a loving person and a great one too. Heralding the late dew season, blooms ahead the ‘kuravam’ buds in the early dew season. Standing atop clusters of flowers, red-eyed koels sing to each other, proclaiming, ‘O couples, unite now!’ and welcome the joyous season of spring. What more can I say to him, the one who told me that he shall never part away? The one who now treads on the long, hot paths in the harsh drylands, where roam bow-wielding bandits; a place which has lost its beauty; where the land is covered with dried-up trees all around, without a spot of moisture in the ponds along the way!” With these words, the lady laments to her confidante about how inappropriate the season is, for the man to part away from her.
Time to unravel the intricacies in the verse! The lady first talks about the man’s virtues. He’s a loving person and a remarkable one too. She continues with ‘and, yet’ and mentions how the seasons are rapidly changing. Let’s take a detour and understand how the ancient Tamils classified the seasons. They had divided the year into 6 seasons called as ‘இளவேனில், முதுவேனில், கார், கூதிர், முன்பனி, பின்பனி’ referring to the ‘spring, summer, rainy, winter, early dew and late dew seasons’ respectively. Returning to the poem, the lady says the ‘kuravam’ flowers are budding open already in this early dew season, indicating that the late dew season and the spring thereafter, was just around the corner. As if the sight of these flowers weren’t enough, the koels seemed to be going ‘cuckoo’ with their singing, calling out to all the lovers of the world to unite. This only shows spring, the season of love is already here!
After mentioning the movement of seasons, the lady despairs that the man doesn’t seem to be aware of this difficult time. Although he had promised her, he shall not part away from her, now off he goes to that harsh land, without pleasing sights to cool his eyes and where danger lurks around every corner. The lady concludes saying ‘What more can I say?’ revealing the dejected state of her heart at the man’s decision to part away. The verse brings forth the deep connection between the outer world of changing seasons, budding flowers and singing koels to the inner world of the lady. One has to admire the respectful tone with which the lady addresses the man, although he has left her sad and dejected and the way she feels for the hardships he will face in his journey through the drylands. Even in lament, the love and concern for the other diminishes not one bit, in this song of yearning!
Beautiful ❤️